5 things to watch as the government shutdown nears an end

WASHINGTON – For more than a month, it's felt a lot like Groundhog Day in the U.S. Senate as lawmakers tried and failed (and tried and failed again) to reopen the federal government.

Now that they've reached a tentative agreement to resolve the shutdown, it's less a matter of if the crisis ends – and more a question of when.

"I hope we are finally seeing light at the end of this truly miserable tunnel," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

More: What's in the deal to end the government shutdown?

Congress could fully pass a funding package by the middle of this week. Once that happens, the legislation will go to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature, ending the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown.